A 34-year-old Speyside single malt has been released to celebrate the Maclean brothers’ world record-breaking row across the Pacific Ocean – with every bottle sold funding clean water projects in Madagascar.
Jamie, Ewan and Lachlan Maclean, from Edinburgh, arrived in Cairns, Australia on 30 August after rowing 9,750 miles from Lima, Peru.
Their 139-day, unsupported journey set a new world record for the fastest human-powered crossing of the Pacific Ocean.
On the same day the brothers rowed into Cairns Marina to hundreds of cheering supporters, more than 10,000 miles away in Scotland single cask of Auchroisk whisky – filled on 15 August 1991, six months before eldest brother Ewan was born – was being bottled in tribute at Auld Bond Bottlers in Perth.
Only 248 bottles of the whisky, matured in virgin oak and bottled at 44.5% ABV, are being released.
Through The Maclean Foundation, the charity founded by the brothers and their father, whisky writer Charles Maclean MBE, each bottle will provide at least one person with clean water for life.
The brothers completed their row before reaching their £1 million target, which was achieved in the days that followed thanks to more than 14,000 donors. The funds will enable clean water projects for over 40,000 people in Madagascar.
Auchroisk is the latest distillery to support the Foundation’s cause.
Whisky expert Charles Maclean, who selected the cask, described the dram as: ‘Far and away the finest example of Auchroisk I have ever encountered – rich and sumptuous, sophisticated and multi-layered, entirely satisfying.’
‘We are so grateful to Diageo for donating the cask,’ eldest brother Ewan said.
‘When we rowed into Cairns to hundreds of people cheering, we had no idea this whisky was being bottled for us back in Scotland.
‘To come home and see it – and to know it will fund even more water projects – is overwhelming in the best possible way, as is the support we’ve received from the entire whisky industry. ‘
Auchroisk is the latest distillery to support the Foundation’s cause, following three previous charity bottlings with Ardnamurchan, Glen Scotia and Isle of Raasay.
The whisky is priced at £349 and available exclusively from Royal Mile Whiskies. Each bottle sold will fund clean water for life for at least one person in Madagascar.
‘We’re proud to support the Foundation with this cask, who share our mission of improving access to clean water in communities,’ Ewan Andrew from distillery owners Diageo, said.
Charles Maclean.
‘Water is our most important ingredient, but it is also a precious shared resource that is facing increasing pressure in many parts of the world.
‘Real change comes through collective action, and the Maclean Foundation is showing just what working in partnership can achieve.’
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